Life straw

[Zeke 5,504]

For those of that have them or used one, does it suck?

Ive been told your better off with an old school pump filter. But I'm looking into some car bags, and these could be perfect... if they don't suck.

[Sota 1,191]

I have a few, but never used one. any yes, they do suck, as in you need to suck on them to make them work

[Zeke 5,504]

1 hour ago, sota said:

I have a few, but never used one. any yes, they do suck, as in you need to suck on them to make them work

You haven't tried one? What if it sucks and no workey?

[fishnut 2,358]

I've used them a bunch of times. I always keep one in my fishing pack and just drink straight from the river. I also have one in every vehicle I own and my bug out bag. In my opinion can't beat it for the money

[Zeke 5,504]

13 minutes ago, fishnut said:

I've used them a bunch of times. I always keep one in my fishing pack and just drink straight from the river. I also have one in every vehicle I own and my bug out bag. In my opinion can't beat it for the money

Now, is there a life expectancy after first suck? 

[fishnut 2,358]

33 minutes ago, Zeke said:

Now, is there a life expectancy after first suck? 

Probably but I'm not sure. I'm going on 4+ years with my fishing straw and haven't got sick yet. 

[GRIZ 3,369]

1 hour ago, Zeke said:

Now, is there a life expectancy after first suck? 

Depends on which one.  They usually have a capacity marked on it or the packaging.  Says something like "up to" so many liters.  The reason for that is if you're putting really dirty water through it it will get clogged sooner.

[raz-0 1,259]

Lifestraw is good stuff. You just need to be sure you are matching the product to your need appropriately. Yes, a good pump filter beats a lifestraw, but it's not really about the quality of what comes out the back end rather the overal capability of the product. 

For example, the lifestraw can get clogged up with non life threatening muck and it is done. Many pump filters, you can clean the pre filter elements and be back in business. Most pumps can service multiple people with effort. A single life straw less so. 

I think a crash bag in the car is a good fit for a life straw. A cheap water bladder modified to accept the in-line life straw might be even better. 

Their family sized filter is a some good cheap SHTF insurance fro a natural disaster. it's fine enough to filter out a good chunk of viruses, which their straws are not. You can regularly get them on sale for about $50. 

[GRIZ 3,369]

Another area where a pump filter shInes is in filling a canteen.  If all you have is a straw you have to "suck it up" and spit the water into your canteen.

If you're thirsty enough it's not going to bother you.

[Zeke 5,504]

1 hour ago, GRIZ said:

Another area where a pump filter shInes is in filling a canteen.  If all you have is a straw you have to "suck it up" and spit the water into your canteen.

If you're thirsty enough it's not going to bother you.

Or fill canteen and use straw

[Zeke 5,504]

7 hours ago, raz-0 said:

Lifestraw is good stuff. You just need to be sure you are matching the product to your need appropriately. Yes, a good pump filter beats a lifestraw, but it's not really about the quality of what comes out the back end rather the overal capability of the product. 

For example, the lifestraw can get clogged up with non life threatening muck and it is done. Many pump filters, you can clean the pre filter elements and be back in business. Most pumps can service multiple people with effort. A single life straw less so. 

I think a crash bag in the car is a good fit for a life straw. A cheap water bladder modified to accept the in-line life straw might be even better. 

Their family sized filter is a some good cheap SHTF insurance fro a natural disaster. it's fine enough to filter out a good chunk of viruses, which their straws are not. You can regularly get them on sale for about $50. 

I like the inline idea also.. but car bags life straw shines.

 

i have an msr pump filter. 

[GRIZ 3,369]

58 minutes ago, Zeke said:

Or fill canteen and use straw

Yeah you can but I don't want that crappy water floating around in my canteen.  

[Zeke 5,504]

4 minutes ago, GRIZ said:

Yeah you can but I don't want that crappy water floating around in my canteen.  

Well this ain't a vacation we talking bout..

[fishnut 2,358]

9 hours ago, Zeke said:

I like the inline idea also.. but car bags life straw shines.

 

i have an msr pump filter. 

I have an inline Sawyer brand one on a camelback. Works great too. 

[GRIZ 3,369]

11 hours ago, Zeke said:

Well this ain't a vacation we talking bout..

True but of you come into a source of potable water to fill your canteen it become non-potable once you add it to your canteen.  

As an experiment fill a container with lake, river, or stream water.  Let it sit in the dark but outside in warm weather for a few days (or even a few hours if the water is skanky enough) and see the amount of extra crud that accummulates.  I've seen this happen when guys would fill canteens figure they'd put in the halazone tablets later.

[fatty 241]

I have two lifestraws but have yet to try either of them out.  If they get clogged, can't you just blow into it to force the clog out?  I vaguely remember seeing something like that in the instructions on the packaging.  I'll have to dig it out.

I've also heard of people being able to attach pumps to the lifestraw to fill containers, which would be great if needed in a pinch.

[raz-0 1,259]

14 hours ago, Zeke said:

Well this ain't a vacation we talking bout..

Yes, most people who argue for pumps are arguing form the backpacker mind set. And just aren't getting their head around the notion of an emergency disposable filter. 

Like I said before. For a crash bag, the lifestraw is an excellent fit. 

OR the sawyer equivalent. They sell a kit with a cheap flat pack squeeze bottle. 

https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Products-SP128-Filtration-System/dp/B00FA2RLX2/ref=pd_sim_468_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00FA2RLX2&pd_rd_r=SSWT8PVJ01CCH28TRT83&pd_rd_w=9NEqB&pd_rd_wg=E3M38&psc=1&refRID=SSWT8PVJ01CCH28TRT83&dpID=51mVWHQb1wL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

 

You can buy a 3 pack of the squeeze bottles for $9 and have options if you encounter potable water. Smaller, lighter, and about $60 cheaper than a pump. 

[Zeke 5,504]

5 hours ago, raz-0 said:

Yes, most people who argue for pumps are arguing form the backpacker mind set. And just aren't getting their head around the notion of an emergency disposable filter. 

Like I said before. For a crash bag, the lifestraw is an excellent fit. 

OR the sawyer equivalent. They sell a kit with a cheap flat pack squeeze bottle. 

https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Products-SP128-Filtration-System/dp/B00FA2RLX2/ref=pd_sim_468_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00FA2RLX2&pd_rd_r=SSWT8PVJ01CCH28TRT83&pd_rd_w=9NEqB&pd_rd_wg=E3M38&psc=1&refRID=SSWT8PVJ01CCH28TRT83&dpID=51mVWHQb1wL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

 

You can buy a 3 pack of the squeeze bottles for $9 and have options if you encounter potable water. Smaller, lighter, and about $60 cheaper than a pump. 

@GRIZ

7 hours ago, GRIZ said:

True but of you come into a source of potable water to fill your canteen it become non-potable once you add it to your canteen.  

As an experiment fill a container with lake, river, or stream water.  Let it sit in the dark but outside in warm weather for a few days (or even a few hours if the water is skanky enough) and see the amount of extra crud that accummulates.  I've seen this happen when guys would fill canteens figure they'd put in the halazone tablets later.

Wouldn't you jus wash it?

Or continue sucking through the straw?

[Zeke 5,504]

7 hours ago, fatty said:

I have two lifestraws but have yet to try either of them out.  If they get clogged, can't you just blow into it to force the clog out?  I vaguely remember seeing something like that in the instructions on the packaging.  I'll have to dig it out.

I've also heard of people being able to attach pumps to the lifestraw to fill containers, which would be great if needed in a pinch.

So if it doesn't suck, you blow?

[fatty 241]

... yea!  Haha

[GRIZ 3,369]

@Zeke you could wash it if you had clean water to wash it.  

[Krdshrk 3,877]

13 hours ago, Zeke said:

So if it doesn't suck, you blow?

 

[Zeke 5,504]

Just now, Krdshrk said:

 

I was gonna do that... didn't want to get in trouble 

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Just now, Zeke said:

I was gonna do that... didn't want to get in trouble 

I would have allowed it.

[Zeke 5,504]

Just now, Krdshrk said:

I would have allowed it.

Gee thanks

[Zeke 5,504]

29 minutes ago, GRIZ said:

@Zeke you could wash it if you had clean water to wash it.  

Would not that be the "potable " you come across in your hypothetical?

[GRIZ 3,369]

6 hours ago, Zeke said:

Would not that be the "potable " you come across in your hypothetical?

Yeah but....you'll also need something to kill all the creepie crawlies that are still on the interior of the canteen.

If you've filled your canteen with water through a straw,  into your mouth and then into your canteen and run into potable water you can just add the potable water to your canteen(s).  If there's enough potable water you can dump the water that you put through the straw and refill with potable.

If just put water in your canteen or water bladder to suck through a straw you will still have all kinds of bugs crawling around on the inside.  You really would need to have something to sanitize the inside of your canteen.

Don't know what they use now but they used to have an empty water bladder and halazone tablets in an aircrew survival vest.  The water bladder was clear.  Survival school taught if you had no other way to sanitize water let the water bladder lay in the sun for 5-6 hours.  The heat and UV light will kill just about anything nasty in that water.

Just some things to keep in mind.

[Barms 98]

This thread was a great example of sometimes there is thread drift but it's for a good reason.   Soneone asks a question about something (life straw).  Someone bashes it (usual in intenet world) then we learn something else (in this case the straw might be adequate but what is more important is transporting water)

I like when that happens. 

[Zeke 5,504]

8 minutes ago, Barms said:

This thread was a great example of sometimes there is thread drift but it's for a good reason.   Soneone asks a question about something (life straw).  Someone bashes it (usual in intenet world) then we learn something else (in this case the straw might be adequate but what is more important is transporting water)

I like when that happens. 

Un lubed condemns..

and for record. I've met @GRIZ numerous times and I consider him my friend..

for context of our conversation.

he is a stubborn old sob though 

[Barms 98]

I just meant in general when it happens usually something else I learn. 

On another board a while ago a guy asked a question about having a dump truck drop a load a stone in his yard and some chimed in "watch out the truck doesn't bust up your sidewalk."   And the guy replied "I'm not a retard I know".  But all i was thinking was wow great advice about the sidewalk.